


these are the ways on which I was raised

by leo_minor



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Making Out, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Thief Ravio, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 15:29:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18501811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leo_minor/pseuds/leo_minor
Summary: "Don't move," Link signs with his free hand, doing his best to remain understandable. "Keep your hands where I can see them.""I'll keep my hands wherever you want them, if it's you asking," the thief replies, wearing the most impertinent smile Link has ever seen on someone being threatened with a sword. "My name is Ravio, by the way. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."





	these are the ways on which I was raised

Lorule is an awful place.

And he means it in an absolutely objective way, that he can back up with facts, and he'll gladly do so if he's asked because he really does hate it here. The kingdom is run down, in ruins, and constantly plunged in the dark by the quasi-permanent absence of the sun. The trees are dead, the grass is deader, and the water is filthy. It's making him ponder how much of a privilege growing up somewhere like Hyrule is. As a child he was taught right and wrong, honour and deceit.

Manifestly, this isn't part of this kingdom's culture.

He has so far, and it's regrettably only been a couple of weeks at most, met more thieves than righteous people. And that truly isn't saying much, because the number of righteous people in the village is a flat and silent zero. Everywhere he has gone he's been attacked, threatened, held at swordpoint and insulted, for no discernible reason other than 'that's the way things are around here.' He's been jumped, thrown stones at, shoved and hollered at. Once or twice someone whistled. Never has he been confronted to such disgusting human behaviour, condensed into one tiny huddle of houses. He has to resort to travelling sword in hand.

And so Lorule is an awful place, so he thinks and so he shall think until he can leave it behind permanently and go back home. He's made good progress, and rescued some of the Sages already, but even if the Thieves Hideout itself has been cleared, the village remains the sole place where he can stock up. He keeps having to return, and hates it every time as much as the first.

Tonight the streets are empty and quiet. The only sign of life is the spittle he's had to wipe off his cheek, at the village gates. It's strange to see the pavements clear and silent. It has something to do, he thinks, with the reddish tinge the moon has taken, over the course of sunset. It's been making him uneasy, but not as much as the villagers have grown. If manners are non-existent, superstition runs deep. This time it benefits him greatly, and he steers off cursing it for a little while as he walks down the calm road that leads him to the inn.

 

However, he hasn't let his guard down, and doesn't miss the flash of black that runs past him.

 

He spins around of his heels, eyes narrow, and scans his surroundings. There are no buildings, no ditches, and nowhere to hide, but he sees nothing. He could have sworn he'd caught sight of a cloak... He stays still a few moments longer, examining every visible corner from his spot, and decides he's grown too jittery.

When he turns around someone's hand is deep in his pouch.

" _Hey !_ " he lets out silently, and takes a step back - shock has made his reflexes slow, and the hand retreats. It's dark under the moonlight. It disappears under a black cloak (he  _knew_  he'd seen a black cloak) and begins to back away. The sound of swift footsteps against gravel reaches him, and knocks him back into action. He unsheathes his sword and runs after the pickpocket, keeping a close eye on his back. Numbers of times he'd been fooled by their scams, but tonight there was one of them and one of him. The thief was no match. He caught up with him within yards and slid in front of him, forcing him to a stop. The thief runs right into him and falls backwards, hitting the ground with a thud and an 'ouch'. Link points his sword at him and removes his hood with the tip of the blade.

"Why hello there !" the thief says, and gives a weak wave. He's a young man of Link's age by the look of it, with dark skin and a mop of curly purple hair. He's grinning dumbly from his spot on the road. "How goes your evening, sir ?"

Link regards him sternly, removing his blade from his chin to direct it towards his chest instead. He looks nothing like the thieves from the hideout, but the loot clutched in his hands, worth a few hundred rupees at least, betray him well enough. " _Don't move,_ " Link signs with his free hand, doing his best to remain understandable. " _Keep your hands where I can see them._ "

The thief has taken the time to examine him in turn, and looks like he likes what he sees. He straightens up a little and gives a low whistle. "I'll keep my hands wherever you want them, if it's you asking," he replies, wearing the most impertinent smile Link has ever seen on someone being threatened with a sword. "My name is Ravio, by the way. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

" _I don't care,_ " Link frowns, discontent with his attitude. Something about the look in his eyes is making him feel strange and defensive. It doesn't help that he's decided to flirt, at a time like this. " _Give me back what you took._ "

The thief frowns, but doesn't avert his eyes from Link's face. "Aw, come on ! No need to be like that. I'll give it all back...if you tell me your name, that is. I told you mine ! It's only fair."

" _You're in no positions to make demands,_ " he reminds him, moving his sword around over his chest. He's in the position of power here, but something in him makes him feel nearly obliged to comply. The thief's eyes gleam attractively in the moonlight. His resolve crumbles. " _It's Link._ "

"Link." The thief - Ravio, he said his name was - smiles widely, resting his chin on the palm of his empty hand. "You're very cute, Link. Care to buy me a drink ?"

Astounded, Link goes over his words again, to check he hasn't misheard anything. No. He hasn't. The thief is just raving mad. " _You just tried to steal most of my money, and you want me to...buy you a drink ?"_

Ravio nods his agreement. "Absolutely. Oh, I'm so very sorry about the stealing thing, but I think we should move beyond that, you know ? Get to know each other. Bond, and stuff."

Link is so taken aback that he nearly drop his sword. He blinks and takes a step or two backwards, letting out a soft snort. The young man's behaviour is so different from everything he's encountered before that he doesn't know how to react. It doesn't exactly help that he's attractive. Very attractive.

" _I... No way ! Absolutely not !_ " He shakes his head, trying to clear out his thoughts a little. " _I told you my name. Give me back my money now, please, before I go and take it myself._ "

"Saw you hesitate for a moment there, cutie !" Ravio chirps, his smile somehow getting wider. "But in the end the choice is yours. As attractive as the thought of you climbing over me to get the cash is, I think I'd rather keep my head on top of my neck, so here you go."

He opens his hand and reveals three silver rupees, than Link fishes out of his palm and slips back into his pouch. Still staring at the thief wearily, he slips his sword back into its sheath and puts some distance between them. Ravio staggers to his feet and dusts his trousers off lazily, watching him retreat with unmasked disappointment.

"If you come 'round here again, you'll know where to find me !" he calls after him, sounding excessively desperate. Link turns around once to look him up and down in a way he hoped serious enough to scare him off. It turns against him, and he can physically feel himself soften under his gaze. The thief is ridiculous but endearing, and the first person he's met out here to possess basic human decency (a little of it, at the very least). Maybe he will come find him someday.

In the meantime he gives a small wave and walks back into the night. Much to do and many places to travel. In contrast, little time to think.

He's sure he hears the thief plop back down onto the floor while heaving the most dramatic sigh Link has heard in his life. It makes him laugh. The thought will make him laugh again. And so, he'll come back.

 

 

 

 

He comes back.

It, ironically, has absolutely nothing to do with Ravio, and when he'll tell him this months later the young man will display the usual dramatic outrage that practically defines him. The facts are nonetheless the facts, and far from being a cute thief, the reason he's back in the area is because he needs oil for his hookshot and some extra rope. Not particularly romantic. Neither is the way he finds Ravio in the village, purely accidentally.

He's walking by the Thieves' Hideout when he hears him shout.

It takes two or three yells, some particularly creative curses, for him to recognise his voice. It's been at least a month since he's last heard it, and the revelation is slow, but when it does click in place there's no place left for doubt. That sing-song voice cursing every Lorulean deity in alphabetical order definitely belongs to Ravio.

And that, of course, brings forwards a great wave of amusement that leads Link into the small passageway that leads to the dungeon. As far as he's aware, the hideout has been more or less empty since he'd gotten in, but it was obviously still being used as a prison. A prison which now restrained the very thief he let escape a few weeks back. Karma, if you will. Still the shouting is getting a little desperate, so he swallows back his faint satisfaction and tries to focus on locating the prisoner.

Ah ! There.

How practical for the hideout to have grilled floors ! From his spot, leaning against the railing, he can distinctively see Ravio. The lighting is different than the day of their first meeting, but the thief is still easily recognisable - no one else could pull off such a ridiculous fringe of curling purple hair. Unaware of Link's presence above him, he continues to yell for help, cries progressively getting weaker. He stops putting heart into them and kicks a stone dejectedly. Link hears him curse.

Even if he had wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to bring Ravio's attention to his presence; besides, there's something fun about sneaking around the hideout only to show up at his door unexpected. He considers it payback of some sort. A surprise for a surprise.  So he drags the statues in place, takes to the stairs, and makes his merry way down to the final level of the dungeon. 

Merry is a greatly discussable term to use, he discovers, when it becomes apparent that everything that caused him trouble during his first visit has been put back into place to hinder future visitors. It hasn’t been long enough for him to forget where to put the bombs and which switches to flip – he has, however, had all the time in the world to let slip from his mind how thoroughly unpleasant the whole place is. It’s like the bad of Lorule has been condensed into this cold-tiled, humid and monster filled cellar that reeks of death a little more with each flight of stairs you run down. He hates it, of course, and his discomfort makes him work faster. He merges into and out of the wall with practised speed, shimmying past metal bars and floorless edges. If the work is boring, this is not, and the ability is fast becoming his favourite skill.

He finds himself at the door of the prison cells and follows the sound of Ravio’s dejected, tune-deaf singing; it leads him right to the very cell he’d freed the thief girl from some weeks ago. He already has the key, of course, but he wants to do it the fun way, for once. He’d count it as his payback for being mugged at night. He merges into the wall with a grin that could only be described as ‘shit-eating’ and pops back out on the other side of the barred wall.

 

Ravio  _screams_.

Link doesn’t wait for him to calm down to start laughing, hard enough to end up doubled over. There’s something absolutely hysterical about the sheer look of terror on the thief’s face, and watching it melt into deep confusion doesn’t help his fit. Watching him shut his mouth and twist his eyebrows into pure outrage, still making small gasping sounds, sends Link to his knees. Ravio tries to speak, but his voice is still dead in his throat, so he settles with slamming a chained hand against the tiles in protest.

“Stop laughing,” he tells him, once he’s calmed down enough to breathe. He looks extremely insulted, and gives Link a blaming look – he’s still on the floor, clutching his chest for his life. Pleasures in a hero’s life are rare.

“ _Sorry._ ” He straightens up, looking the opposite of guilty, and wipes the corner of his eyes. He breathes out slowly. “ _Couldn’t resist it._ ”

“Here I was thinking you were a man of honour!” Ravio protests, and he already sounds more like himself. His signature grin is back on his lips, and looks like it’s here to stay. “I guess I must have been wrong. You’re here after all, in this filthy place of death and theft…”

Ignoring his dramatics, Link sits himself against the opposite cell wall and crosses his arms over his chest. Ravio is just as cute as he had first thought; his ears flick down when he pouts, and go back up when he cheers. Link watches his lips curve, and flushes when he realises what he’s doing. Even when his mouth is shut the thief manages to make him feels flustered. There’s something about his very,  _very_ open attitude that makes his terrible flirting effective.

“Anyway, you’re gonna help me out of here, right ?” He tilts his head, clearly discontent with Link’s silence. There’s an edge to his words that tells he isn’t entirely joking. Link is, ultimately, in a position of power higher yet than on the night they met, and the thief knows it.

It’s the best time to get back at him.

“ _You look cute when tied up,_ ” Link tells him smoothly, surprised he managed to align the words together. His experience, compared to Ravio’s, is weak at best, but he’s always been good at improvising. And sweet revenge. Even if the flirting is terrible, as long as it affects the thief as much as it affected him the job is done.

Ravio blinks, and takes a full five seconds to turn quite red. He stammers something, looking from his handcuffs to the hero. He’s visibly struggling to gather himself back together – Link has hit a strike. “…that’s a strong start, Mr. Hero. You sure you don’t want to buy me a drink first ?”

Though the comeback is acceptable and the nickname a nice touch, it’s in no way as strong as his usual lines. The intention, completely unexpected, has hit home. Link grins at his success and happily notes that the thief looks even better when he’s blushing.

“ _The order doesn’t matter much, does it ?_ ” he shoots back, thoroughly enjoying the situation.

“Maybe you’re right.” Ravio looks at the floor, and it’s difficult to see whether the nervousness in his eyes is real or not. “But I’d still rather be handcuff-free, y’know ? It’ll do wonders for my confidence.”

Like that’s lacking, Link scoffs to himself, but the softness the thief is suddenly displaying is sending his act tumbling down. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to uncuff him. He walks over to him and kneels, reaching for the key in his pocket, when he feels something warm and gentle against his face. After a brief short-circuit his brain confirms that yes, those are Ravio’s lips pressed to his cheek and then yes, more grimly, he’s been played.

He leans back, glaring at the thief, but it’s useless; he’s looking proud and cheerful. He tries to bury the fact he enjoyed it under his irritation, but it’s no use. Ravio’s brashness has too strong an effect on him.

“Don’t start a game you can’t win, buddy !” Ravio says cheerfully, and lifts a hand to reveal a silver key gleaming between his fingers. He runs the tip of it down Link’s jaw, smiling. “Besides, I’d rather kiss you properly, without the chains in the way. You deserve better than that !”

He must have stolen the key when Link was frozen, and now he unlocks his shackles one by one, whistling softly as he goes. For his part the hero is red-faced and defeated again. The compliment goes over his head, and he realises he’s a little angry, because none of what he does seems to phase the thief much while each of his smiles makes him feel giddy. Is he serious about his words, or is this just the way he is with everyone ? He can’t make out his intentions. He can barely make out his – all he know is that he likes Ravio, and that both times they’ve bumped into each other he’s felt something new.

He sighs and takes out the key to the door (he feels faint surprise to find it still in place, and not on the loop of the thief’s belt). There aren’t many ways into a person’s mind, and even less that don’t involve strange spells; he guesses there isn’t much he can do other than follow his own will, because Ravio’s isn’t yet apparent. Perhaps, in time, he can make it so. And perhaps it’ll be worth the work.

The lock slides back, and he motions for Ravio to follow. The young man bounces to his feet and makes his way into the corridor, rubbing his wrists. “Thank you very much, Mr. Hero,” he grins. “Who knows what would have happened to me without your noble help !”

“ _You would have stolen the keys from someone else,_ ” he replies blandly, and shuts the door behind them. Now the demon has been exiled from the room upstairs, no doors slam shut and no gates close on them. They can go out the way he came in. He just hopes his pockets won’t be empty by the time they reach the steps – which gives him an idea.

He opens a palm and extends it to Ravio. “ _Give me your hand._ ”

Confused, the thief complies. There’s a glint of pleasure in his eyes that warms Link in his intentions. “Might I ask why ?”

“ _I have to make sure you don’t go emptying my pouch while we walk_ ,” he explains, and all in all it’s a perfect excuse, albeit an obvious one. That part doesn’t really matter. He closes his hand over Ravio’s and grins when the thief entwines their fingers. It’s an alliance of security and comfort for both of them – Link knows Ravio won’t pickpocket him, and Ravio knows Link won’t run ahead and leave him behind. There’s also the small matter of Ravio’s thumb rubbing circles into Link’s hand, but that message is explicit enough.

“If you wanted to hold my hand, you could have just asked, you know ?” Ravio teases, following Link through each damp-bricked room. He’s smiling a much softer, much more personal smile that makes him shine.

“ _I did,_ ” he simply answers, and leads them further in.

They don’t talk for the rest of the trip back to the surface.

 

 

Ravio is the one who pulls him forward, and runs around the rusty statue to hide behind its base. A wise choice, because Link has the time to see thieves swarming around the entrance before being tugged into hiding. Their reaction to finding their prisoner up and running would be less than pleasant, no doubt.

“ _Why were you tied up down there ?_ ” Link asks, once they're safe in the statue's shadow.

Ravio waves a hand around dismissively, grimacing. “The usual stuff. I nicked what they nicked from other people, so they got a little angry. All part of the job, of course ! We’ll all be best friends again in no time !”

Behind them comes a shout from the village, and it’s aggressive enough in its wording that Ravio visibly pales.

“Haha… Yeah, no need to worry.” His voice is its usual cheerful self, despite the fact his hands are shaking. “If I survive the decapitation threats and the…”

“ _Lynchings,_ ” Link quotes helpfully.

“Right you are, buddy. Oh, I’ll be fine. It’s all talk, all talk. The worse they’ll do is throw me down there again, and I know there’ll be someone to save me if they do ! Speaking of which…” He lets go of Link’s hand and steps closer – close enough that Link could count his freckles, if need arise. “I don’t have anything to give you as a thanks for saving me, so this’ll have to do.”

And sweetly, he places his hand on Link’s shoulders and kisses his forehead.

“ _Good enough,_ ” Link mouths, and finds himself smiling. Ravio can be sweet. “ _Now you should probably make your dashing escape._ ”

“Right again ! I guess I’ll…I guess I’ll get going.” The thief throws a glance behind him, and flashes Link a smile. “I’ll see you again, yeah ?”

He nods, once, and gives him a gentle push towards the road. Ravio, ever excessive, blows him a kiss before disappearing into the high grass. When he’s sure he’s gone, Link allows his hand to reach for his face and gently brush against the place he was kissed. His head feels light.

He might as well stay the night, to make sure the thief’s head doesn’t end up on a spike.

 

 

 

When he steps out of the tavern the following morning, there are no visible traces of bloody murder in the streets. Although he's heard his share of screams during the night (and some of those most definitely belonged to Ravio), no one seems to have fallen victim to the mob; better yet, the fact that the whole gang of thieves had been busy chasing their own allowed him to get his first good night of sleep since setting foot in Lorule. It's early and the sun is only rising, through a strangely clear sky. It feels like a good day. The tingling in the centre of his forehead is a remaining reminder of why his mood is so cheery. 

 Link has decided, during the course of the night, that he likes Ravio. He likes him in a way that makes him want to squeeze his hand and hold him and maybe kiss him in the moonlight - where the thief expresses everything that goes through his mind, the hero gets frequently ahead of himself mentally, and in that aspect they make a good pair. He likes his boldness, his green eyes that always look like they're smiling, and the tidbit of thoughtless idiocy he ends up regularly displaying. The man as a whole is a shameless but endearing flirt, and Link find himself taken to him. Enough so that he decides today is the day he responds to his teasing properly. Where he failed yesterday, he will succeed. It's a point of honour now.

In the light of this resolution he goes looking for the thief, and his heart drops in horror when he hears his voice coming from the Thieves' Hideout entrance.

Again.

He runs around the chipped statue and presses his back to the stone cube that holds the cellar's entrance, ears flickering up and down with concentration. Had he been wrong ? After all, there were dozens of thieves armed to the teeth, and only one, slippery Ravio. The chances of him getting caught and whipped to the blood were much higher than him escaping the mob a whole night. The young man might be down there shredded and breathing his last breaths. He'd had the sad opportunity to see the villagers' neat and violent work before, and the thought of the thief, head bowed and lips parted by a sliver of blood, makes his stomach churn. Overcome with the possibility, he runs a hand down his face to calm himself and listens. Any sound, any whimper, would be his call to run down to his help. Just a sigh would be enough-

Instead, he hears singing.

Ravio is  _singing_ , some kind of traditional Lorulean song that he's heard on the streets before. More importantly he sound supremely calm, like he's enjoying himself. Link stays still a moment, waiting for a cough, a groan, or perhaps the chop of a sword, the clang of a lance, anything that might say 'danger', but it's just the thief and his merry song.

The bastard.

The hand he'd placed on the hilt of his sword is dropped, and he sneaks into the Hideout. A quick look around confirms the fact that it's empty of a soul other than its sole prisoner, still happily serenading. Link make his way over to the grilled bridge and settles on a discarded wooden box. His heartbeat slows and his sass returns. The situation seems intensely familiar.

 

" _I'm starting to think you're doing this on purpose._ "

 

"Well that's just offensive, Mr. Hero ! What reason could I possibly have to do that ?"

Link rolls his eyes from his perch, staring at him through the grill flooring. The thief is wearing the exact same stupid grin as yesterday, and looking up at him like nothing could make his day better. He doesn't seem remotely surprised to see him. He shakes a hand in a half-assed wave, allowing the chains around his wrists to clatter and clang. Help me, his pretty green eyes say, in a way that is far too cheeky. He doesn't look exactly distressed to be imprisoned.

" _I'm coming down,_ " Link informs him, firmly deciding his teasing doesn't deserve a response. Yet.

He does come down, and swiftly. He doesn't hurry, but the journey down each flight of stairs doesn't exactly pose any challenges, especially since he's already made it twice. The puzzles aren't puzzling and the monsters grow less monstrous every time he knocks one out with the flat of his sword. It briefly occurs to him that he's wasting potentially precious time, but he flattens the thought down with a pleasant new one : he is, for once, having a little fun.

The key to the prison cell is in the same place as usual - apparently the thieves lack a little creativity, and don't catch it up with outstanding logic. They do make his job easier for him, however. He nicks it and makes his way to the door.

"My hero is here !" Ravio cries out when he hears the lock slide back, fake admiration dripping from his voice and onto the dungeon tiles.

" _My theory,_ " Link tells him, leaving the door ajar behind him, " _Is that you're getting yourself locked up repeatedly for a reason._ "

"Mighty bold of you to assume so. What might that reason be, fair sir ?" Ravio is clearly far too invested in their game. He cranes his neck to follow Link's pacing with his gaze.

" _Why, to see me, of course. And get rescued by my fair hand._ "

"Damn !" The thief cusses, wearing the filthiest grin Link has ever seen on anyone. "I guess you saw right through my game."

" _Some game._ " The hero settles in the opposite corner of the small room, leaning against one of the brick walls. It's cold enough to make him shiver through his tunic. How long has Ravio been sitting there in sub-zero temperatures ? And why does he have to look like it was worth the wait ?

Man in question yanks at his chains to get his attention. "So..." He bites his lip in the most ridiculous manner and leans in as far as he can. Even with the chains strained to their limit, he's at least six feet short of Link's boots. "What are you goin' to do about it ?"

This guy has the most absurd way of flirting, Link thinks, but he enjoys it. " _I guess I'll..._ " His hands freeze in mid-air, as though he's pondering the issue with all his might. What he's actually doing is watch the thief get his hopes excessively up, much to his amusement. " _...just have to leave you down here, to teach you a lesson._ "

Ravio gasps and collapses back against the stone wall. "You wouldn't !" he cries, as dramatic as ever, but Link can hear his act slip into true worry. It's too fun not to push a little, so he adjusts the strap of his sheath and slips the key to his shackles into his pouch. He makes for the door. "Would you...? Oh, no, please ! Mr. Hero, it's freezing down here ! Don't leave me all alone !"

" _It's the price you must pay for your antics,_ " Link signs, but he's got a smile on his face and the sight of it calms Ravio down.

"That's not what I bargained for," he grumbles, doing his very best to pout. "I didn't insult some guy's poor mother and, risking death, get dragged down here to be abandoned ! I did it for the rewarding sight of you ! Your gorgeous smile ! The warmth of your hand on my wrist as you heroically pull me past a swarm of monsters ! That kind of thing !"

It's extremely foolish, but strangely effective - Link feels his cheeks warm up a little curses it for betraying him. If the thief sees it, he'll never cease again. " _You're ridiculous,_ " he tells him not unkindly, and kneels besides him to free him of his shackles. He has the absolute nerve to rest his head on Link's shoulder while he turns the key and shakes the chains off. He feels his warm breath on his neck and flushes again.

" _Let's get you out of here, then._ "

"Thank you, my hero," Ravio mumbles slyly, and presses a kiss to Link's neck just as he's getting up. One of his hands flies up to cover the spot with his palm. His face is absolutely burning, and there's little to nothing he can do about hiding it now. Silently he straightens up and glares, motioning for the thief to follow him out of the room. The kiss is so gentle, so intimate, that it feels immensely foreign in the poorly-lit dungeon. He tries to ignore the warmth blooming in his chest, and the feeling of his resolve slowly crumbling. He can't tease him back, because he wants to give it. He wants to give in very badly.

He wants to give in so badly that he does.

As soon as Ravio takes his first step out of the cell, he grabs him by the collar and pushes him against the wall. The thief's face twists from satisfaction to panic and his eyes widen - he lifts his hands in a sign of surrender and gives an overly nervous laugh. In the green of his irises Link finds a glint of fear.

"...Have I gone too far ?" the thief asks, voice trembling. His tongue darts out to lick his lips. "I swear I didn't mean to, Mr. Hero. If I've gone and made you uncomfortable, I'll stop right away. I just thought you..."

He falls silent and gives Link a long stare that's more meaningful than anything he might manage to say. "...might feel the same way," he finishes softly, and goes slack in his grip. He misunderstands, of course. Link hasn't had the opportunity to clarify. Feeling guilty for his brutal move, he lets Ravio's collar go and holds his face, instead.

 

Then he leans in and kisses him.

 

The thief's initial reaction is to let out an undignified squeal and cringe back against the wall. When the realisation that he isn't going to get hit sets in, Link has already filled the space between them and pushed Ravio against the wall. He lets their lips reconnect and this time Ravio doesn't run; rather he melts forward and wraps his arms around Link's neck tightly, pulling him just a little closer. The hero isn't holding back, nor regretting a second of it : the thief's lips are as soft against his own as they were on his neck, on his forehead, and on his cheek before that. He seems a little dazed, and Link takes advantage of it fully, finally getting the revenge he's been looking for - he sucks on Ravio's bottom lip softy and deepens the kiss. He feels teeth graze against his lips and grins into the kiss. It's everything he'd hoped for, mayhap even a little more. He feels Ravio's chest vibrate with gentle laughter, and the sound reaches his ears, a little muffled, heavenly nonetheless; he silences him by running his tongue over his mouth and inwardly cheers when the thief opens it just enough.

His hands have drifted into Ravio's hair and tug and pull there. Some of it is braided, he notices, and wonders how he never realised before. His fingers run over the patterns and knots and feel for the beads and rings that gold the braids together. He finds himself grabbing handfuls of free locks when he starts to get dizzy, when he starts to lose himself, and the low groans that Ravio lets out against his mouth ground him. The thief's let his grip loosen and is running his palms across Link's back, rubbing here and there, digging his nails into his tunic every so often. Once or twice he allows his hands to drop and grad a handful of Link's ass, but it never lasts longer than it should. He's testing his limits and making sure not to cross them.

"Oh, God," he whispers when they break the kiss, softly panting in each other's face. Link is grinning from ear to ear, and doesn't give him the time to catch his breath before latching his mouth onto his neck. Ravio gasps and squeezes his eyes shut, biting down on his bottom lip. "Okay. Okay..." He repeats the words a few more times, like they might ground him, and allow him to distinguish dream from reality, but it's all little use. Link's already kissing down his neck, teasingly slow, and frankly he has no idea what he's doing but if it makes him moan like that then surely it's a good thing. Where Link is verbally weak he makes up for in actions and his skills to improvise-adapt-overcome; on the other hand, Ravio, deprived of his sneaky words and innuendos, is reduced to a blushing mess that shivers under the hero's mouth, whispering his nickname oh, so softly.

The two top buttons of Ravio's collar are flicked open, and Link begins his arduous work to leave a mark, a stamp, a tiny bruised note that says 'Link was here'. Ravio's eyes nearly water as the blond nips his skin experimentally (testing) before biting down on it (exploiting) and sucking the spot gently. "L-Link," he sighs, using his name for the first time since their meeting, and presses further against him - using the wall as support he wraps his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck. The hero immediately adapts and hoists him higher, a hand under his thighs. He's successfully left a colourful lovebite on the thief's neck, and accepts his renewed kissing with fervour when he leans in to meet his lips. He feels hot-headed, or perhaps just hot in general, and lets out small, sharp sighs into Ravio's mouth - the closest thing he'll get to a groan.

Ravio takes advantage of his new position to give his hips a playful roll against Link and runs his hands up and down his chest. He in turn leans in to press his lips to the skin barely shielded by his green tunic, kissing every inch of what he could reach without undressing him, and if the look in his eyes was anything to go by the desire to do that isn't lacking. He slips a hand under his collar and shifts it, exposing his left shoulder; wasting no time he runs his lips all over this new spot and doesn't miss the opportunity to leave a mark or two of his own.

" _Fuck,_ " Link mouths softly, and buries his face in the nook of Ravio's shoulder. The action exposes his neck to many more wet kisses, and he doesn't mind one bit. Every contact between his skin and the thief's lips causes a new spark of pleasure to course through him, and it's getting to his head.

"Didn't think you had a dirty mouth, Mr. Hero," Ravio laughs, giving him a couple of short kisses. "I guess that might be my fault."

Dirty is his mouth, and dirty is his mind in that moment, in ways he has never known it to be before - it takes a massive effort for him to calm himself, and recall his surroundings. They are, after all, in the damp cellar of a thief base, where they are vulnerable to attacks from any corner. He wants to press Ravio against the wall again, to rub his hips against him and hear him moan, maybe get rid of the tunic entirely - he tells that part of him to quiet down and disappear, because it's neither the time nor place. After a short kiss he places Ravio back down onto his feet, and the thief seems to understand.

" _Bad place,_ " he signs briefly, taking a moment to steady his breathing. He slides down the wall and waits for his head to stop spinning. Ravio, radiating contentment despite the interruption of their moment, nuzzles his way to his side and wraps his arms around him. The touch stabilises him, and he relaxes. An unplanned smile tugs at his lips and he realises that he's never felt this happy. His lips are still tingling, his face flushed, and Ravio is hugging him tightly. "... _Maybe not so bad a place,_ " he mouths, and returns the embrace.

"It's okay !" The thief's voice is softer than usual, and muffled by Link's tunic. "That was...intense. There's nothing wrong with taking a break, relocating... I think we deserve better than some soggy bricked cellar, hm ? I can think of a place or two that might fit the bill."

" _Don't._ " His chest shakes with a premonitory laugh.

"A bed, for instance..." Ravio continues, ignoring him entirely. The smile in his voice makes the teasing obvious. "Oh, I'm just throwing suggestions out there, of course."

" _You're impossible,"_ Link shakes his head, turning away from him in mock irritation. Ravio takes the movement in his stride and pulls him in for another kiss.

"Oh, yes. But as far as I'm concerned, you like it. Unless all that business against the wall was some  _big_  misunderstanding..."

Link shuts him up by shifting away from the mossy bricks to lie flat on top of him, letting him wriggle and giggle under his weight. The thief gives up after a moment's struggle, and sighs softly. Link relaxes and shuts his eyes.

There comes a tiny, outrageous "Hey !" Ravio pouts and tries to push him off with weak at best attempts. "Sleeping on me isn't free, you know. You owe me some kind of retribution, for being the best mattress available in town. Maybe in all of Lorule ! You don't realise the excellency of the cute boy you're squashing-" (a push) "and you won't until you...hah..." (a small shove) "have to pay for him ! Let's say... Oh, eighty rupees a night ? I know you can dish 'em out. I've seen the inside of your wallet."

" _Is that why you kissed me ? For my wallet ?"_ he asks in a vexed act, making a small sniffing noise. " _You've misled me."_

"Your wallet only amongst other things..." Ravio abandons the shoving and goes limp under him. "Like the fact that I like you. And you have a cute a-"

Link hops back onto his feet, knocking air out of the thief's lungs, and reaches out to help him up. He can only glare for half a second before the irritation melts away into that same floaty, slightly elated air that Link is surely displaying as well.

" _Let's go make use of my wallet,"_  he signs, and takes Ravio's hand. The young man grins and follows him down the corridor, retracing the previous day's steps.

"Where are we going, Mr. Hero ?" 

Link smiles briefly, briefly enough that Ravio misses it, because he wants to keep secret the fact that he may, or may not, but focusing on the may, have planned this line out hours before, to secure his victory, to make the young man laugh, and definitely to show off, a little. The opportunity is golden. Biting down a self-satisfied grin, he tells him :

 

" _I'm going to buy you a drink."_

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading ! if you'd looking for more raviolink, check out my other works ~  
> feedback is loved and appreciated, if you have the time for it !


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